For many of their peers, the summer vacation after high school graduation is a time for theme parks and the beach before the grind of the work world or college begins.

“This is my last summer before I go to college,” said Apple Valley’s Samantha Stackelhouse, who graduated earlier this year from Excelsior charter high school in Victorville. “Every summer for the last four years, I have been in a program or an internship. I kind of wanted this summer to just relax.”

But Stackelhouse, 17, who will be attending UC Santa Barbara, double-majoring in political science and international affairs, got an offer she couldn’t refuse.

She serves on a youth advisory council for San Bernardino County Supervisor Robert Lovingood, and one of his staff members told her about the 2017 Bank of America Student Leaders Program.

Participating students work eight-week paid internships with local nonprofit groups. Five Inland Empire students beat out 187 applications to get the internships.

“Reading those applications gives you a lot of hope for the future,” said Al Arguello, president of Bank of America’s Inland Empire market. “Some of these kids are just outstanding.”

Stackelhouse, who had previously worked for Rep. Paul Cook, R-Yucca Valley, and Assemblyman Jay Obernolte, R-Hesperia, hopes to go into politics herself one day. During her internship with the Family Assistance Program in Victorville, she learned

about domestic violence and sex trafficking.

“It’s a more rigorous internship,” said Stackelhouse. “I’ve been so exposed to what my work is actually doing and how it’s actually benefitting people. Sometimes when you’re sitting behind a computer, it’s hard to see how your work is helping.”

Working at a women’s shelter and with homeless youth gave her a new appreciation of issues many people only think they understand, she said.

“It’s a unique experience,” said Carlos Vidrio, 17, a Riverside resident and recent graduate of Ramona High School, who interned at The Community Foundation. “Just being able to do something that you loved.”

Vidrio will be attending UC Davis in the fall, studying civil engineering with a focus on environmental engineering.

“Everyone around you was driven by the same mission: helping the youth in our community,” said Tallan Donine, 18, a Temecula resident and recent graduate of Chaparral High School, who interned at the Boys and Girls Club Southwest County. “No matter how busy it was, on a day to day basis, they really stayed true to what their goal was.”

Donine will be attending Claremont McKenna College in the fall, and studying international relations.

“You could see the direct influence of these people on children’s lives everyday, which I found very inspiring,” she said.

In addition to the internships, the students also participated in a week-long leadership summit.

“I’ve always been interested in politics. My family watches the news every night from D.C., and we got to go there,” said Zainab Qadir, 18, a Riverside resident and recent graduate of La Sierra High School, who interned at the Riverside Art Museum. “It’s just a big win-win-win.”

In Washington, D.C., the students met with more than 200 other Bank of America Student Leaders from across the country.

“You really find you’re not alone if you want to make a change in the world,” Donine said.

Bank of America’s not-so-secret plan is to turn some of these students into future donors and leaders of nonprofit groups.

“Bank of America considers the nonprofit sector to be an integral part of our community. They do things that our corporation couldn’t possibly do,” Arguello said. “We consider them to be a vital part of the fabric of the community.”

And the plan seems to be working.

“I definitely see the appeal,” Qadir said. “People are really passionate about what they’re doing.”

Qadir will be attending UCLA in the fall, where she’s currently undecided on a major, but leaning toward studying psychology and biology.

Prior to her internship, Donine’s goal was to one day work as a diplomat.

“Now, since my experience with the Boys and Girls Club, I’m really interested in a nonprofit,” she said. “This has been the most formative work and life experience I’ve ever had. It’s changed my view on nonprofits, government and the community. It’s really made me a better person.”

Beau Yarbrough wrote his first newspaper article taking on an authority figure (his middle school principal) when he was in 7th grade. He’s been a professional journalist since 1992, working in Virginia, Egypt and California. In that time, he’s covered community news, features, politics, local government, education, the comic book industry and more. He’s covered the war in Bosnia, interviewed presidential candidates, written theatrical reviews, attended a seance, ridden in a blimp and interviewed both Batman and Wonder Woman (Adam West and Lynda Carter). He also cooks a mean pot of chili.

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